New Britain homeowners pay some of the highest electricity prices in the country, which is exactly why rooftop solar pays off here. The twist in Connecticut is that the state no longer runs classic net metering. Instead you pick between two Residential Renewable Energy Solutions (RRES) options through Eversource, and for a high-production New Britain roof the math can favor the one most people overlook. This page covers what solar actually costs in New Britain, how Eversource’s RRES buy-all and netting options credit your power, the Connecticut incentives you may qualify for, and the local roof and permitting details to plan around, then you can check your address in about a minute. Updated for 2026.
Written and reviewed by the SolarFY Editorial Team. Last reviewed July 6, 2026. See how we source and check our data.
The 60-second answer for New Britain (2026)
- New Britain power is expensive, which is what makes solar pay. Connecticut residential electricity averages about 30.47 cents per kWh (EIA, as of March 2026), among the highest rates in the country and nearly double the national average.
- Your utility is Eversource, not United Illuminating. New Britain sits in Eversource’s Connecticut electric-distribution territory, so your interconnection and solar billing go through Eversource (Eversource Connecticut, as of July 2026). United Illuminating serves the New Haven and Bridgeport area, not New Britain.
- Connecticut replaced net metering with RRES. You choose Buy-All (sell all your production at a fixed rate) or Netting (offset your on-site use). The 2026 Eversource Buy-All rate is 32.89 cents per kWh, fixed for 20 years (Eversource 2026 RRES rates; PURA Docket 25-08-02 Final Decision, issued December 17, 2025).
- Connecticut has no state solar income-tax credit, but two tax exemptions help. There is a 100% sales-tax exemption on solar equipment (Conn. Gen. Stat. 12-412(117)(A)) and a property-tax exemption on the home value it adds (Conn. Gen. Stat. 12-81(57), as of 2026).
- A representative New Britain system pays back in roughly 7 to 9 years on our own estimate below, before financing, using the Eversource Buy-All rate and a DOE/NREL production estimate.
- The 30% federal homeowner credit (Section 25D) ended after December 31, 2025 (IRS, as of 2026), so a New Britain homeowner who buys solar in 2026 cannot claim it.
Why New Britain’s electric rates make solar worth it
The reason solar pays in New Britain is the price of the power it replaces. Connecticut residential electricity averages about 30.47 cents per kWh (EIA, as of March 2026), one of the highest rates in the nation, so every kilowatt-hour your roof makes offsets an expensive one you would otherwise buy from Eversource. A typical New Britain home spending $150 or more a month on electricity is a strong solar candidate. Both the supply and the delivery lines on your Eversource bill add up to that all-in rate, and both have climbed in recent years, which is why the payback case in Connecticut is stronger than in most of the country.
Your production is what turns that high rate into savings. New Britain gets a solar resource typical of central Connecticut, and a well-placed roof offsets a large share of a normal home’s annual use. Because NREL’s PVWatts tool was not reachable when we built this page, we use a documented DOE/NREL regional estimate of about 1,200 kWh per kilowatt per year, which puts a 6 kW system near 7,200 kWh a year in New Britain (DOE/NREL specific-yield data, as of 2026). Treat that as a planning estimate, not a measured number. Output depends on your roof’s pitch, shading, and orientation, so model your specific roof with NREL’s free PVWatts calculator before you size a system, because your production drives both your RRES credits and your payback.
See what solar programs are available in your New Britain ZIP code
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Your New Britain utility is Eversource, not United Illuminating
Connecticut has only two electric-distribution utilities, and New Britain is entirely Eversource. The state gives each utility an exclusive electric territory, so there is no overlap at a given address. United Illuminating serves the greater New Haven and Bridgeport area, while the rest of the state, New Britain and the wider Hartford County included, sits in Eversource’s Connecticut territory (Eversource Connecticut, as of July 2026). That matters because your solar interconnection application, your Permission to Operate, and your RRES enrollment all run through Eversource. New Britain shares that Eversource Connecticut territory with the nearby Hartford County cities we cover, so the same RRES rules and rates apply whether you are here, in Hartford, or in West Hartford. For the utility-wide rules behind all of this, see our Eversource Connecticut solar guide and the statewide Connecticut solar guide.
How Eversource credits your solar power in New Britain: RRES, not net metering
This is the part Connecticut homeowners get wrong most often: the state no longer offers classic retail net metering. Connecticut closed net metering to new residential solar and replaced it with the Residential Renewable Energy Solutions (RRES) program, run through Eversource and overseen by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA). When you go solar you choose one of two compensation options, and the choice changes your payback, so it is worth understanding before you sign (Eversource 2026 RRES rates; PURA Docket 25-08-02 Final Decision, issued December 17, 2025). For the mechanics of how export credits work in general, see how net metering credits your solar exports, and for the full Connecticut rules see our Connecticut net metering and RRES guide.
Option one is Buy-All. You sell 100% of what your panels produce to Eversource at a fixed tariff rate, currently 32.89 cents per kWh for 2026, locked for a 20-year term and exempt from the seasonal adjustment below, and you separately buy all the power your home uses at the normal retail rate (Eversource 2026 RRES rates; PURA Docket 25-08-02, issued December 17, 2025). Because that buy-all rate is actually higher than the retail rate a New Britain home pays, Buy-All tends to favor roofs that produce a lot relative to how much power the household uses during the day.
Option two is Netting. Your production offsets your on-site usage first, much like the old net metering, and a Solar Energy Adjustment (SEA) is applied to your production, set at -4.02 cents per kWh for 2026 (Eversource 2026 RRES rates; PURA Docket 25-08-02, issued December 17, 2025). Netting tends to favor homes that use a large share of their power during daylight hours, when the panels are making it.
| RRES option (2026, Eversource) | How it works | 2026 rate or adjustment | Tends to favor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buy-All (Tariff) | Sell all production to Eversource; buy all your usage at retail | 32.89 cents per kWh, fixed 20 years, exempt from the SEA | Roofs that produce more than the home uses during the day |
| Netting | Offset on-site usage first, like net metering | Solar Energy Adjustment of -4.02 cents per kWh on production | Homes that use most of their power in daylight hours |
An installer models both options for your specific usage and production before you enroll. The values reset over time, so confirm the current buy-all rate and SEA with Eversource or your installer rather than budgeting around an old figure.
Note for New Britain homeowners: New Britain is one of Connecticut’s designated distressed municipalities, and the RRES program layers small per-kWh adders on top of the base rate for income-eligible customers and for projects in distressed communities (Eversource 2026 RRES rates, as of December 2025). Eligibility is set by your income and the specific address or census tract, not by the city as a whole, so ask your installer or Eversource whether your home qualifies for an adder before you assume it. It can raise the value of both the Buy-All and Netting options.
What a New Britain solar system costs and when it pays back
Here is our own estimate for a representative New Britain home, computed from the local rate, a documented production estimate, and the 2026 Eversource Buy-All rate. These are planning figures, not a quote, and they exclude financing interest. The federal 25D homeowner credit ended after December 31, 2025, so it is not included. We assume about 1,200 kWh per kilowatt per year of production (DOE/NREL, as of 2026), the 32.89 cents per kWh 2026 Eversource RRES Buy-All rate (Eversource 2026 RRES rates, as of December 2025), and an installed cost in the roughly $2.75 to $3.30 per watt range typical of the Connecticut residential market (EnergySage Connecticut, as of 2026), with smaller systems near the top of that range.
| Representative system | Est. annual production | Est. installed cost (before financing) | Est. Buy-All value per year | Est. simple payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 kW | ~7,200 kWh | ~$19,800 ($3.30/W) | ~$2,370 | ~8.4 years |
| 8 kW | ~9,600 kWh | ~$24,000 ($3.00/W) | ~$3,160 | ~7.6 years |
| 10 kW | ~12,000 kWh | ~$28,500 ($2.85/W) | ~$3,950 | ~7.2 years |
The takeaway: at New Britain’s rates a typical roof pays for itself in roughly 7 to 9 years, then keeps producing for the life of the panels. Your real number depends on your roof, your usage, whether you pick Buy-All or Netting, and how you pay. A cash purchase gives the fastest payback and the most lifetime savings; a loan spreads the cost; a lease or PPA can mean no up-front cost but a longer, smaller return. To weigh the long-run numbers, see whether solar panels are worth it. (To reproduce the production figure, run PVWatts for ZIP 06051 with a roughly south-facing array, about a 20-degree tilt, and the default 14% system losses, then swap in your own roof.)
Why Buy-All usually wins for a New Britain roof, in dollars. This is the crossover the rest of the page hints at, now priced out for the same representative 8 kW system producing about 9,600 kWh a year. Under Buy-All you sell every kilowatt-hour at the fixed 32.89 cents. Under Netting your production offsets power you would have bought at the 30.47 cents retail rate, but the -4.02 cents Solar Energy Adjustment comes off your production, so its effective value is closer to 26.5 cents. The gap is real money.
| Representative 8 kW system (2026 estimate) | Effective value per kWh | Est. value per year (9,600 kWh) | Key trait |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buy-All (Tariff) | 32.89 cents, fixed for 20 years | ~$3,160 | Locked rate, exempt from the SEA |
| Netting | ~26.5 cents (30.47 cents retail minus the 4.02 cents SEA) | ~$2,540 | Floats with future retail rates |
So for a high-production New Britain roof today, Buy-All is worth roughly $600 a year more than Netting, because the fixed 32.89 cents rate beats the retail rate even before Netting’s seasonal adjustment. The one case where Netting can pull ahead is if Connecticut’s retail rate climbs well above about 37 cents over your 20-year term, since Buy-All is locked while Netting floats. These are planning estimates, so have your installer model both options against your actual usage before you enroll.
Connecticut solar incentives on a New Britain account
Beyond the RRES credit, a New Britain homeowner gets the same statewide Connecticut tax benefits as the rest of the state. Connecticut does not offer a state personal income-tax credit for residential solar, so do not budget for one, but two exemptions still lower your cost and protect your savings.
- A 100% sales-and-use-tax exemption on qualifying residential solar equipment, claimed with Connecticut DRS form CERT-140, so you pay no Connecticut sales tax on the system (Conn. Gen. Stat. 12-412(117)(A), as of 2026).
- A residential property-tax exemption on the added home value from a qualifying solar system, so going solar does not raise your property-tax bill (Conn. Gen. Stat. 12-81(57), as of 2026).
- The RRES credit itself (Buy-All or Netting, above), which is the main ongoing benefit and goes to the system owner. On a lease or PPA the company that owns the panels keeps that credit, while you get a lower or fixed power price.
These benefits are the same across the state, which is why we keep the full statewide detail on our Connecticut solar guide rather than repeating it here.
What the federal tax-credit change means for New Britain
The federal homeowner credit is gone, but Connecticut’s programs are not. The 30% federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) ended for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025, under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, so a New Britain homeowner who buys solar with cash or a loan in 2026 cannot claim it (IRS, as of 2026). You will still see installer pages and search results claiming the 30% credit is available; the accurate answer for 2026 is that the homeowner version already ended. The Eversource RRES credit and Connecticut’s tax exemptions were not affected, and at New Britain’s high rates the bill offset alone is substantial. For the full timeline, see what the federal solar tax credit change means in 2026.
Note: One federal exception exists, and it is not yours to claim. A separate commercial credit, Section 48E, is claimed by the business that owns a leased or PPA system, not by the homeowner (IRS Clean Electricity Investment Credit, as of 2026). On a leased system you do not file for a federal credit yourself; the company that owns the panels does. The 25D homeowner credit, by contrast, ended after December 31, 2025.
Going solar on a New Britain home
New Britain’s older housing stock is what shapes its solar projects. The “Hardware City” grew up around its factories, so a lot of its homes are early-1900s multifamily two- and three-family houses and postwar single-families, which adds two checks a newer suburban home usually skips. First, many older New Britain homes still run a 100-amp electrical service panel that may need an upgrade to carry a modern system, especially if you also want a battery, EV charging, or heat pumps. Second, an older roof may need a structural look or new shingles before panels go on, and on a two- or three-family house the owners of the other units may need to sign off.
Permitting runs through the City of New Britain. Your installer pulls an electrical and building permit from the City of New Britain Department of Licenses, Permits and Inspections, and Eversource handles the interconnection review and the Permission to Operate before the system can switch on (City of New Britain, as of July 2026). A local installer who has done New Britain projects will handle the permit paperwork and the Eversource interconnection for you.
| New Britain roof or site factor | What to plan for |
|---|---|
| Older two- or three-family house | Often fits a good-sized system; may need a structural check and multi-owner sign-off |
| 100-amp service panel | May require a service upgrade for solar plus a battery or EV charging |
| Aging roof covering | Re-roof before install if shingles are near end of life, so you do not pay to remove panels later |
| City of New Britain permitting | Electrical and building permits, plus Eversource interconnection and Permission to Operate |
| Heavy shading from mature street trees | A shade study; fewer, higher-efficiency panels may beat a larger array |
Paying for solar in New Britain: cash, loan, lease, or PPA
There is no single right way to pay for solar; the best fit depends on whether you want to own the system and keep the RRES credit yourself, or avoid an up-front cost. A lease or PPA can mean no up-front cost for eligible homeowners, but it is a long-term agreement with monthly payments, not free solar, and the system owner, not you, collects the RRES credit and any incentives. To weigh the long-run numbers, see whether solar panels are worth it.
| Path | Up-front cost | Who keeps the RRES credit | Best when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash purchase | Full system cost | You, the owner | You want the fastest payback and the most lifetime savings |
| Solar loan | Little to none, financed | You, the owner | You want ownership without paying cash up front |
| Lease or PPA | $0-up-front where eligible | The third-party owner | You prefer no up-front cost and a simpler, fixed monthly bill |
How to choose a solar installer in New Britain
The greater Hartford market has a deep bench of licensed installers, from local Connecticut companies to national brands, which is good for you because it means real competition on price and service. Rather than chasing a “best installer” list, screen any company against objective criteria:
- NABCEP certification, the industry’s professional standard for PV installers.
- A valid Connecticut Home Improvement Contractor registration and the required electrical licensing.
- A clear workmanship and equipment warranty in writing.
- Real experience with Eversource interconnection, the RRES enrollment, and City of New Britain permitting, so your paperwork and Permission to Operate go smoothly.
- A written production estimate and a quote that models both the RRES Buy-All and Netting options for your usage, using today’s rates, not old ones. For a checklist, see the right questions to ask a solar installer.
MySolarFY matches you with licensed installers that serve your area so you can compare real local quotes side by side, with no obligation.
Frequently asked questions
Is solar worth it in New Britain, CT in 2026? For most owner-occupied New Britain homes with decent sun, yes. Connecticut residential electricity averages about 30.47 cents per kWh (EIA, as of March 2026), among the highest in the country, so every kilowatt-hour your roof makes offsets an expensive grid one. On our own estimate a representative system pays back in roughly 7 to 8 years before financing, using the 2026 Eversource RRES Buy-All rate. Savings are not guaranteed and depend on your roof, usage, and how you pay, but the high local rate is what makes New Britain a strong solar market.
Who is my electric utility for solar in New Britain? Eversource. New Britain is in Eversource’s Connecticut electric-distribution territory, and Connecticut’s two electric utilities do not overlap, so your interconnection and RRES billing are handled by Eversource, not United Illuminating (Eversource Connecticut, as of July 2026). United Illuminating serves the New Haven and Bridgeport area, not New Britain.
Does Connecticut have net metering in 2026? Not the classic version. Connecticut closed retail net metering to new residential solar and replaced it with the Residential Renewable Energy Solutions (RRES) program through Eversource, where you choose Buy-All (sell all production at a fixed rate, 32.89 cents per kWh in 2026) or Netting (offset on-site use, with a -4.02 cents per kWh seasonal adjustment) (Eversource 2026 RRES rates; PURA Docket 25-08-02 Final Decision, issued December 17, 2025). The right choice depends on how much of your power you use during the day, so have your installer model both.
Does Connecticut have a state solar tax credit? No. Connecticut does not offer a state personal income-tax credit for residential solar. It does provide a 100% sales-and-use-tax exemption on solar equipment (Conn. Gen. Stat. 12-412(117)(A)) and a property-tax exemption on the added home value (Conn. Gen. Stat. 12-81(57), as of 2026), so you pay no state sales tax on the system and it does not raise your property taxes. The ongoing benefit is the Eversource RRES credit, not a tax credit.
Do solar panels raise your property taxes in Connecticut? No. Connecticut exempts qualifying residential solar systems from local property tax, so the value the panels add to your home is not counted in your assessment and your property-tax bill does not go up because of the system (Conn. Gen. Stat. 12-81(57), as of 2026). This is a statewide exemption, so it applies to a New Britain home the same as anywhere else in the state. You still owe property tax on the home itself; the exemption only shields the added value from the solar system.
What happened to the federal solar tax credit? The 30% federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) ended for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025, under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, so a New Britain homeowner who buys solar in 2026 with cash or a loan cannot claim it (IRS, as of 2026). A separate commercial credit, Section 48E, can apply to leased and PPA systems, but the business that owns the system claims it, not the homeowner. Connecticut’s RRES credit and tax exemptions were not affected, so the local payback case still holds.
How much does solar cost in New Britain and how fast does it pay back? A typical residential system runs roughly $2.75 to $3.10 per watt installed in the Connecticut market before financing (EnergySage Connecticut, as of 2026), so an 8 kW system is near $23,000 before any financing. On our own estimate, using the 2026 Eversource Buy-All rate and a DOE/NREL production estimate, that size pays back in roughly 7 to 8 years. Your real cost and payback depend on your roof, your usage, and whether you buy with cash, a loan, or a lease.
Can I get solar with no up-front cost in New Britain? Some homeowners can, through a lease or power purchase agreement (PPA) where eligible, which can mean no out-of-pocket cost at installation in exchange for monthly payments. This is not free solar; it is a long-term agreement, typically 20 to 25 years, and total payments may exceed the cost of a cash purchase. On a lease or PPA the third-party owner, not you, collects the RRES credit, while your benefit is a lower or fixed power price. If you want to own the system and capture the credit yourself, a cash purchase or solar loan is the path that keeps it. Check what you qualify for before deciding.
Reviewed by the SolarFY Editorial Team. Figures were verified against the linked EIA, Connecticut PURA, Eversource, Connecticut General Statutes, DOE/NREL, and IRS sources as of July 2026; the RRES Buy-All rate and Solar Energy Adjustment, Connecticut’s tax exemptions, and New Britain permitting can change, so confirm current terms with Eversource, PURA, and the City of New Britain before you decide. See how we source and check our data. MySolarFY does not provide tax or financial advice; consult a licensed professional about your own situation.
MySolarFY is a free service that matches homeowners with licensed solar installers. We are not an installer, financing company, or government program. “No up-front cost” refers to qualifying lease or PPA financing, where eligible homeowners may have no out-of-pocket cost at installation. Lease and PPA terms typically run 20 to 25 years, may include an annual price escalator, and total payments may exceed the cost of a cash purchase; on a lease or PPA the RRES credit and any incentives go to the company that owns the system, not the homeowner. Homeowners do not get the federal residential credit that ended after December 31, 2025. Solar panels are not free and monthly payments apply. Eligibility, savings, incentives, and rates vary and are not guaranteed. See our full disclaimer.
